Blower advise

[Chris Sheppard]

the makita's are good for general gardening when u have a can of neat petrol for a mower or sumit.. but i would say just get a stihl bg85 or a br500

 

Agreed, the Makita 4 stroke one isn't bad and is pretty cheap. We just put 2 stroke through it and it runs fine. Just sound odd when you're used to hearing two strokes. Current one is getting on for two years old now I think and as far as I can remember has never been touched with a spanner.

[Minotaur]

First of all, I must say that I am a Stihl tool buyer through and through.

Until recently I had an SH86 hand held blower/vac and a BR480, owned the backpack unit for about 5 years, yes its bulky but an awesomely powerful piece of kit.

Then bought the hand held about 3 years ago, great bit of kit and much less bulky.

My backpack blower has taken a back seat for a while, but pulled it out for a new job and it has constantly played up. SO about the third to back to the repair shop and all fixed. Locked it on the back of the van and back to the job, came out a coupke of hours later, and some thieving little scroat has cut the cable an dnicked it!

Now my hand held as started playing up - turns out I have broken the fins on the shredder part of the hand held vac unit - they are plastic!

This unbalanced the machine and ultimately the vibrations shook loose some bolts and one of them jammed in the motor and seized it! Got a message to say its ready for collection - hopefully repaired and not Fubar'ed.

 

Would say that when they were working both were great bits of kit! Infa86ct just purchased another hand held - Stihl SH

Edited September 2, 2012 by Minotaur
extra detail

[Pedroski]

Yep, the impellers on the new Stihls seem to be made of foam! We've got through 3 of the buggers in a year, and them impellers ain't cheap to replace. OK for blowing... but for vacuuming, they suck in a bad way.

[bobh]

Thanks for the answer guys.

Loads to think about there, looking on ebay most secondhand ones seem to be pick up only so it may have to be a shiny new toy

Unless anyone knows of one secondhand that they will post.

[tuttle]

I had a good think about this recently after using a £19.99 240v 'el cheapo' one.

 

I have used stihl and husky - found them a pain to start, to cumbersom and break easily.

 

While using the 'el cheapo' it made sense that the only time it matters to get the area clear, is when you are outside a customers property, so plug in and off you go.

 

The electric one was twice as powerful as a petrol one, and a third of the size.

[Steve Bullman]

 

The electric one was twice as powerful as a petrol one, and a third of the size.

 

And depends entirely on the customer being home to let you use their power supply

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Mate has new 2012 BG86; it's loads heavier than a 2009 one...???

[tuttle]

And depends entirely on the customer being home to let you use their power supply

 

just been hunting the cordless market.

 

anyone used the Bosch 18v ALB? £80 in argos, could be a winner - the promo pics are over the top:lol:

[bobh]

Hate having to knock on the door for anything, always petrol or cordless tools for me

 

Interesting about the 2012 BG86 being heavier, Have they beefed it up?

[tuttle]

just bought a 14.4v bosch hedge trimmer, found it amazing, it will do upto 15mm with ease, light and easy to use.

 

so have a bit faith in cordless stuff, going for the bosch blower next.